


Outrageous! (take the money and run)

by Aboutnothingness (Thesherlockholmes)



Category: Bohemian Rhapsody (Movie 2018), Queen (Band)
Genre: Early Queen (Band), Gen, Homophobia, Homophobic Language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-05
Updated: 2020-06-05
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:15:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24544459
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thesherlockholmes/pseuds/Aboutnothingness
Summary: An awful crowd and Freddie’s antics weren’t a good mix that night. They’ll just have to take the money and run.
Comments: 8
Kudos: 18
Collections: Freddie Mercury Weekend 2020!





	Outrageous! (take the money and run)

**Author's Note:**

> Many, many thanks to my fabulous beta BisexualRoger for complimenting this piece, working out my wording, and helping to add in bits and pieces that make it all the better! I couldn’t- and wouldn’t- have done it without you. Thank you, darling!
> 
> To all you gorgeous readers, enjoy the ride!
> 
> (for the Freddie Mercury Weekend 2020. Prompt: That Time Queen had to Flee from Drunk Homophobes)

The audience isn't the best. There's slight, if any applause, and he's been giving it to them- really to make sure they're conscious more than anything.

  
"Won't ignore this one- something harder, no not like that!"

  
Then Brian launches into Liar and Freddie decides to play up his comment, maybe that'll get their attention.

  
After a rather sultry rendition of the first verse, he waltzes over to Brian and drapes himself over the taller man- well, he tries, and sings the call and response with him. Bless the man, he just continues on with the riff as Freddie makes a show of pleading to him and in a moment of impulse, gets on his knees to make it all the more dramatic. In retrospect, that might not have been the _best_ idea.

  
The crowd isn't asleep now. He's got their attention, at least, but it would seem like they only want to kill him. All he can hear now is the yelling of slurs, ' _bent, poof, queer_ '. Brian just plays harder and louder, and as he walks over to John for the chorus, he sees fire in Roger's eyes and hopes the man calms down just a bit because they can't afford another pair of drumsticks if he breaks (or throws) the pair he's currently using.

  
Apparently they’re cutting their set short; he hardly gets a breath before Roger is continuing into Modern Times Rock and Roll. They get through it, professional as always, and Brian says their goodnight’s as Freddie is already grabbing their gear and booking it out the back. John seems to sense that it isn't going to stop at yelled slurs tonight and follows him out, loaded down with their amps. Everything is piled into the van faster than he ever remembers happening before, and Roger and Brian come running out handing their kit off to him, before slamming doors and starting the engine. The charming audience members seem to have managed to stumble out after them and some are getting in cars while others are roaring words Freddie is steadfastly not listening to.

  
"Let's go, then." says Brian in that flat monotone that means he's rightly pissed, and then they're off.

  
"Shit, Bri, they're following us for fuck's sake!" Roger exclaims, looking behind them in the side mirror. "Freddie, why'd you pull that shit here, hm? We're going to be murdered!"

  
"I got their attention, they were dead before that.” Freddie waves a rather dainty hand as if that underlines his point, “You couldn't possibly think it was going well."

  
"I don't care if they sleep through the set if we get paid. We'll never get to play there again!"

  
"We did get paid, actually." John pipes in from beside him.

  
"Yes, see dear. They'll know what they lost when we're playing the stadiums."

  
"Doesn't help us now though, does it? I can't afford a cup of coffee."

  
"Rog, calm down. We've got gigs next week." Brian sighs, sounding a bit tired.

  
Roger just exhales angrily at that, before turning around to face him, "Just don't pull that shit again."

  
Freddie can do nothing other than look decidedly out the window, because he sure isn't going to _apologise_. He was doing his job, it just backfired. Spectacularly.

  
It takes a few too many turns and going in circles to shake off their followers and then they're going straight to the cheap inn they're sharing a room at. When they arrive, Roger just grabs the case of lager they've brought along and books it to their room, leaving the three of them to drag their kit in. No one has anything to say, but Brian tilts his head and gives him a look as if to say, ' _it's alright, just Roger being... Roger_ ' and a tiny shrug before heading inside with his Red Special and amp. He takes Rog's kit himself and his mic.

  
Roger has settled on one of the beds with a lager and a magazine, his face set in a pissed off expression.

  
"Brought in your kit, Rog." There's no response, so Freddie turns to Brian. "You brought something along to eat, didn't you darling? I'm starving!"

  
"Uh, yeah. Right in the bag there. Some bread and cheese."

  
"Thanks, dear." He cobbles together enough for all of them and settles in for a quiet, tense night.

  
Sometimes his theatrics work, sometimes they don't. It just seems it's always _awful_ , even _disastrous_ when they don't. There's nothing to be done for it though, after the fact, save to move on. They'll love him one day, all of them. Let them bite their tongue, then. Or, at least then he can call them out on it, and wouldn't that be wonderful?

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think, writers live for feedback, how could you think I’m any different?!


End file.
